"I traveled to central Minnesota and the White Earth reservation just east of Mahnomen, Minn., last week. It was one of those wonderful fall days; the air was sweet and clear, the temperature was moderate and there were no mosquitoes.
I crossed the Minnesota border and followed State Highway 200 to County Road 3. From there, I could see the Center of Human Environment, my destination and subject of this column.
Off the county road, I could see miles of harvested fields and small ponds where ducks paddled casually in circles. The ducks didn't seem to notice that most of their friends had flown south.
In this idyllic place, the plush-looking center sat atop a high hill.
Thirty years ago, it was the home of a farmer who donated the "ranch" to the community. (The center is overseen by a board of directors.) This beautiful house is now a nonprofit home for chronic alcoholics, homeless people, people with developmental disabilities and some people with mental illness. It is overseen by a board of directors and not affiliated with the White Earth tribe, Darby Miller, the director, told me. "
Get the Story:Dorreen Yellow Bird: A most unusual country home (The Grand Forks Herald 11/3)
pwpwd More Dorreen Yellow Bird:
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Yellow Bird: Crying out for better role models (9/12)
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